"My favorite color?" I repeated once I'd swallowed, raising an eyebrow at him, amusement threading through my voice, my lips twitching toward a smile. "That's what you want to know?"
"It's important information." Kol's voice was mock-serious, his expression earnest even as his eyes danced with humor, his hand coming up to gesture emphatically. "What if I buy you flowers and they're the wrong color? What if I make you a birthday cake with the wrong frosting? These things matter, little flower."
"Green." I found myself smiling, something warm unfurling in my chest at the absurdity of it, at the normalcy of it, my body relaxing further into his warmth. "Like... forest green. Deep green. The color of trees after it rains."
"Noted." Kol nodded solemnly, like I'd just imparted sacred wisdom, his arm finally dropping to rest across my shoulders, heavy and warm and grounding. "Favorite food?"
"Anything I don't have to fight for." The words came out before I could stop them, darker than I'd intended, my voice going flat, and I felt the room shift, felt their attention sharpen.
Then I shrugged, forcing lightness into my voice, pressing more firmly into Kol's side, refusing to let the moment turn heavy. "But if I had to pick? Anything with cheese. The more cheese, the better."
"A woman after my own heart." Kol clutched his chest dramatically, his golden eyes wide with exaggerated joy, his voice rising with theatrical enthusiasm. "Reid, are you hearing this? She likes cheese. She's perfect."
"I heard." Reid's voice was dry, but there was a smile playing at the corners of his lips, his dark eyes warm as they watched me, his coffee cup raised to hide the curve of his mouth. "Favorite season?"
"Fall." The answer came easily, and I found myself relaxing further into Kol's hold, my body craving the contact in a way that surprised me, my head tilting to rest against his shoulder. "When everything's dying but it's beautiful anyway. The air smells like woodsmoke and apples."
"Morbid." Kol's voice was teasing, his fingers starting to trace absent patterns on my shoulder through the blanket, his breath warm against my hair. "I like it."
"Favorite thing to do when you're not working?" Nolan's voice was soft, curious, his hand finding my knee and restingthere, adding another point of contact that made something in my chest ease, his green eyes gentle on my face.
I thought about it, really thought, and realized I didn't have an answer.
"I don't know." My voice came out quieter, more honest than I'd intended, my brow furrowing as I stared down at my plate. "I've never really had time for... hobbies. Or whatever."
The silence that followed was heavy, and I hated it, hated the pity I could feel gathering in the air.
"Well." I straightened my spine, something defiant sparking in my chest, a smirk tugging at my lips as I lifted my chin. "I guess you'll have to help me figure that out. But fair warning — if any of you suggest knitting, I'm leaving."
Kol barked out a laugh, surprised and delighted, his arm tightening around me, his whole body shaking with mirth.
"There she is." His voice was warm with approval, his golden eyes bright as he grinned down at me, his fingers squeezing my shoulder. "I was wondering when the sass would come out."
"The sass never left." I turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow, my voice dry as dust, my lips curving into a smirk. "I just didn't trust you enough to show it."
"And now you do?" Reid leaned forward, something intent in his dark eyes, his voice carefully casual, his fingers tightening slightly on his coffee cup.
"Now I'm getting there." I held his gaze, letting him see the truth of it, then deliberately reached out and snagged a piece of bacon off the plate, popping it into my mouth with exaggerated satisfaction, chewing slowly while maintaining eye contact. "The food helps."
"I'll remember that." Reid's lips twitched, fighting a smile, his dark eyes warming with amusement, his voice low and rough. "The way to your trust is through your stomach."
"The way to anyone's trust is through their stomach." I shrugged, licking bacon grease off my fingers, then turned to look at Sawyer, who was still holding my hand, still standing like a silent sentinel, his amber eyes watching our exchange with something like wonder. "What about you, big guy? You have any questions for the getting-to-know-you portion of this morning?"
His amber eyes flickered with surprise, like he hadn't expected to be included, his brow furrowing slightly, his thumb stilling on my knuckles.
"Favorite animal." His voice came out rough, almost shy, his gaze dropping briefly before returning to mine, his jaw tight like the question had cost him something.
"Horses." The answer was immediate, and I found myself squeezing his hand, wanting him to know he'd asked the right thing, my voice softening. "They're honest. They don't pretend to be anything other than what they are. And they'll trust you with everything if you earn it, but you have to earn it. No shortcuts."
Something shifted in Sawyer's expression, something that looked almost like recognition, and he nodded once, slow and deliberate, his amber eyes holding mine with new intensity.
"Wolves." His voice was quieter now, almost private, his thumb resuming its gentle circles on my knuckles, his scarred face softening. "Same reason."
I smiled at him, really smiled, feeling something click into place between us, and his face did something complicated — softening and hardening all at once, like he didn't know how to handle gentleness directed at him.
"Okay, my turn." I sat up straighter, pulling the blanket tighter with my free hand, a wicked grin spreading across my face, my eyes dancing with mischief. "Most embarrassing thing you've ever done. Go."
Kol groaned, dropping his head against my shoulder, his forehead pressing into the blanket, his voice muffled and despairing. "Oh no. Why would you do this to us?"
